


from day one (i knew you were the one)

by nolu



Series: jatp fics [2]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Cafe AU, University AU, and fail miserably, hehe watch me attempt to commit to a longifc, oblivious idiots in love :), oh well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27446041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nolu/pseuds/nolu
Summary: Julie Molina is ready to switch majors after her mother’s sudden death, but some new friends and a friend who’s a little something more help convince her to stay.a mix of a university AU and coffee shop/cafe AUupdates? who knows
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn & Julie Molina, Flynn & Julie Molina & Reggie & Willie, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, alex & reggie & luke
Series: jatp fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127153
Comments: 50
Kudos: 240





	1. the new guy

“Hi, could I get a caprese sandwich?” Julie Molina walked into her university’s local bakery cafe, her eyes glued to her phone. She was frantically texting her best friend Flynn, who was spamming her with texts about the cute girl in her design class.  
“Would you like that toasted?” Julie looked up to see a mop of messy brown hair and warm brown eyes, and her brain momentarily forgot how to function. _He must be new._  
“Uhh… yeah.” Julie wanted to slap herself. She hated hot caprese sandwiches. _But the longer it takes the sandwich to get made, the longer I can sit and stare at this guy's arms._ She wanted to shake the thought out of her head, He smiled at her and nodded.  
“Anything to drink?” He asked. _Dammit even his voice is pretty._  
“I’ll have a small black coffee.” She already had a cup of coffee that morning, one more couldn’t hurt, right?  
He raised an eyebrow. “Strong choice. Can I get your name?”  
Julie involuntarily laughed. “Julie, and yeah. Unlike a lot of uni students, I drink coffee because I enjoy the taste, not because I need the caffeine. It’s an added bonus, though.”  
He chuckled, and her heart did cartwheels. “That’ll be six-fifty.” Julie handed him a ten, and he handed her the change. “It’ll be about seven minutes, so feel free to take a seat.”  
Julie wandered over to the sitting area, lined with little booths that allowed enough privacy for small groups but still roomy enough to feel almost spacious. There was no one else in the cafe, probably because of the odd time. During lunch hours this place was packed. She dropped her dark purple backpack onto the flood, the various pins and stickers attached catching the light. It was four in the afternoon, and she had already finished all her classes that day. The cafe was rather empty… it was only her and the cashier. _Maybe I can just spend the afternoon here… maybe talk to the cute cashier again…_ Her thoughts trailed off as she pulled her laptop out of her bag, mentally preparing herself for another round of music history notes. She zoned out while staring at her online textbook, not wanting to think about music whatsoever. She felt a tap on her shoulder. She whipped around, almost causing the person behind her to fall over.  
The new guy steadied himself sheepishly and handed her her sandwich and coffee. “Here’s your order.”  
“Thanks, and sorry I scared you.” Julie glanced over to his name tag. _Luke._  
He laughed, making Julie feel a little bit better. “No worries.” His eyes flicked over to her computer screen. “Music history?”  
Julie groaned. “You mean the bane of my existence?”  
“What do you mean “the bane of your existence??” Music history is the best!”  
Julie rolled her eyes. “It most certainly is not. I don’t want to learn about a bunch of dead people who made music.” _I don’t want to think about how Mom is one of them._  
Luke shook his head. “It has to do with music. How can it be bad? Are you a music major?”  
“Yeah, but not for long.” She continued before Luke could ask why. “I take it you're into music then?” Julie asked, already dreading the answer.  
“Yeah! I’m in a band with a few buddies of mine, actually.” He pointed at the partially obscured logo on his t-shirt. “Sunset Curve! Tell your friends!” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he didn’t. He gave her another one of his dorky smiles and Julie didn’t have the heart to tell him she didn’t listen to music anymore.  
“That’s cool.” Her eyes looked past him, filled with sadness.  
Luke seemed to notice and sat in the chair opposite Julie. “Did I say something wrong?”  
Julie sighed, avoiding his face. “No, it's not you.” She didn’t elaborate, and he didn’t push.  
Something changed in his expression, turning sympathetic. “Oh! I’m trying out a new drink, if you want to try it.” He hopped out of the chair, already headed back behind the counter. He motioned for her to follow. “I’m still working on it, but if you don’t mind being a test subject…” Julie stood, thankful for the change in subject. She watched Luke pour an array of syrups and a mix of colorful fruits into a blender. Within a few minutes, he had produced a vibrant drink, layered to be various shades of red, orange, and yellow. He handed her the glass, a triumphant look on his face. “I call it the Sunset Curve. It’s mango, strawberry, and dragon fruit.”  
She took a tentative sip, not knowing what to expect. She was surprised by the mild sweetness and very present but not overpowering fruit flavors. “That’s really good!” She exclaimed, and Luke did a little celebratory dance.  
“Really?” He asked.  
She schooled her features, forcing them to look serious. “Really.” She responded.  
They stood there, smiling at each other for a moment.  
“Hey Julie-” A voice called from behind them. Both of them turned around to see Flynn with her mouth open in an “O”. She pointed back and forth at the two of them. “Am I interrupting something?”  
“Nope!” Julie squeaked, at the same time as Luke said “Julie’s testing a new drink I made.” Flynn raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Julie knew she was in for it when they got back to the dorms. Julie knew her cheeks were pink, and she wondered if Luke’s were too.  
“New drink you say?” Julie offered the slush, only slightly melted now, and took a sip. “That’s pretty good!”  
Julie steadied herself and gave a pointed look to Luke. “See?” He rolled his eyes at her.  
“I’m Luke, by the way.” He added hastily, then began idly cleaning the counters.  
“Flynn.” She replied, then pulled Julie by her sweater sleeve back into the sitting area, where her sandwich had gone cold.  
Flynn looked back at the entrance where Luke was still cleaning already clean counters. “Why didn’t you tell me you were talking to a cute barista? I would’ve been late!”  
Julie gave Flynn a look, trying to get her to shut up.  
Her voice was barely a whisper. “Sorry I didn’t tell you, it was a new development. Also, don’t mention that while he’s in earshot? Please? I’ll spill when we get back to the dorms.”  
Flynn rolled her eyes but agreed. “Fine, but only because he’s in earshot.” She didn’t bother whispering, and Julie glanced over to see a bit of color in Luke’s cheeks.  
She turned back to her now cold sandwich. “Want half?”  
“Say less.” Flynn grabbed the second half of the sandwich and took a bite. “I haven’t eaten all day!” The two quickly finished the food and drinks, leaving the only excuse to stay in the cafe their dreaded schoolwork. It turned out that neither of them wanted to do their work, and Julie was only mildly reluctant to leave. She grabbed her almost untouched cup of coffee and her backpack, getting ready to leave.  
“Thanks for stopping by!” Luke called as the two of them walked towards the exit.  
“Yeah, thanks for the drink!” Julie smiled down at the floor.  
“We’ll be back tomorrow!” Flynn called over her shoulder.  
“We’re what?” Julie asked, but Flynn pushed her out the door before she got an answer.  
“We’re coming back tomorrow.” She didn’t elaborate until they were halfway back to campus, despite Julie’s protests.  
“We’re going back so you and Mr. Just Made you a Drink can run circles around each other again.”  
Julie looked at Flynn, her eyes wide. “First, we were not running circles around each other. And second, his name is Luke.”  
“Mhm,” Flynn replied noncommittally. “We’ll see about that.” 

Julie flopped face down on her university bunk. “Why would you say that??” She mumbled into her pillow.  
“Because I want you to be happy. You two looked like five year olds getting a present unexpectedly.” Flynn sat down next to Julie’s body. “I’ll be your wingwoman.”  
Julie sighed. “Don’t need a wingwoman, we’re not interested-”  
“Don’t finish that sentence Julie Molina. I saw the way you two were looking at each other. Besides, he gave you a drink, the least you can do is go back.”  
“Ugh, fine. But only because you asked _so nicely._ ” She rolled her eyes fondly as she sat upright, leaning back onto the wall. “Pass me my coffee? Existing is giving me a headache.”  
Flynn obliged and handed her the lukewarm cup. “Don’t see how coffee is going to help but existing is quite the chore.”  
As Julie raised the cup she released a muffled cry. “There’s a phone number on the cup!”  
“What? Let me see!” Julie handed her friend the cup, who in turn held back a scream. “There’s a phone number on the cup!! Oh my god, he wrote his phone number on your cup! You have to text him.”  
Julie sat considering, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “Okay, but not right now. After at least a little bit of homework.” _There’s no way I’ll be able to concentrate after this._  
Flynn gave Julie a knowing smirk. “What did I tell you?”  
“Fine, you called it. But I don’t know why he would write his number here. He probably does it for every person who orders.”  
Flynn rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say. Do you want to go get dinner?”  
“We just got back from lunch!” Julie replied, but she was already up, ready to go.  
“Yeah, I’m still hungry. Come on!”  
They walked down the narrow hall of their building, and Julie almost tripped at the sight of an orange poster. _Sunset Curve… playing live in the north courtyard! So he wasn’t lying._  
“You good Jules?” Flynn asked, concerned, crossing her face.  
“Y-Yeah. Do you want to go eat at the north courtyard today?”  
“Sure? Any reason?”  
“Nope. No reason.” Julie stammered. Flynn didn’t look convinced but didn’t press. No one seemed to ask too many questions anymore.


	2. The girl from the cafe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and the guys get ready for their debut performance, and Julie is doing her best to stay strong.

Luke hung up his apron on the hooks in the back room, almost bouncing with excitement. The band was providing entertainment tonight at the university, and he knew tonight would change things. It was a small gig, but professors could be there, and professors have friends, and their friends have friends, and eventually, Sunset Curve would be all everyone could talk about. His mind wandered away from music and back to the girl who hated music history. _Julie_. Just thinking of her name brought a smile to his face. He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but smiling was easy with her. She was super pretty, seemed real sweet, plus she liked his drink, which was a bonus. _All that’s left is for her to like our music._  
Some part of him hoped she would be at the concert tonight, but he knew it was unlikely. Regardless, he would keep his eyes out for a girl with curly brown hair and shining smile. He rushed out the door, pulling on his favorite orange beanie. “Thanks boss! See you tomorrow!” He called on his way out. He didn’t hate working at The Garage, but he would much rather be out rehearsing with the band or writing a new song. But he needed the money, so here he was. After he refused to major in business and instead insisted on music, his parents had refused to pay for all four years of his university, so the last two years he would have to find a way to pay for on his own. He had a small scholarship for music, but it wasn’t nearly enough for him to be able to keep his focus completely on music. His boss was pretty chill, but she wasn’t the biggest rock fan which was a bummer, but Luke would convince her. She said it was alright if he wanted to put up any posters for upcoming gigs, which was plenty worth it for him.  
He rushed back to the small apartment near campus that he shared with his bandmates Reggie and Alex. Though they were great friends, something would alway be missing where their ex bandmate Bobby had been. Bobby had gotten into a prestigious college across the country, and he followed the acceptance letter out of their small town. Luke sighed. They could use another vocalist. He pushed those thoughts aside. He needed to focus on tonight’s show. They had to make a good impression, for the sake of the band. _Not sure how much longer I can keep paying tuition on my own._  
Soon enough he arrived back at Sunset Curve’s tiny apartment. It only had one large room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, but they made good use of the space. Or at least Luke thought so. Each boy had a loft bed and a desk underneath for work and eating, and there was a couch in the rest of the space. It was a bit tight, but they made do. They were rarely just there to be there, everyone was always doing something or practicing in the band room. Today, the boys were all home, getting ready for the show.  
“You’re late!” Reggie called as Luke walked into the apartment. He hopped off the couch, pulling on his favorite black leather jacket. “You almost ready to go? Ten minutes until soundcheck.”  
Luke shook his head, a half smile on his face. “Yeah yeah, I’m ready whenever you guys are.” He looked around the apartment. “Where’s Alex?”  
“He texted saying he’ll meet us there. Something about a willie? His text wasn’t coherent.”  
Luke sighed and grabbed his guitar bag. “Let’s get going. At least half the band should be on time.” He shot Alex a text letting him know they were headed over to the venue now, and not to be late. He knew the latter was in vain, but it was worth a shot. His ex-boyfriend was almost always late, no matter the occasion. Without him or Reggie keeping his head on straight he probably would’ve missed half his classes by now. _Well, his head definitely isn’t straight, so there's the problem. None of us are, really, but that’s besides the point._  
Luke and Reggie arrived at the venue right on time, where the courtyard was almost empty. Some speakers had been left in the corner of the space, with a bright pink sticky note labeled “SUNSET SWERVE”.  
“Ugh, it’s Sunset Curve! Not sunset swerve.” Luke yelled to no one in particular. Reggie chuckled and shook his head, already pulling out his bass and plugging it into one of the speakers. They warmed up, and a riff popped into Luke’s head. He pulled out his phone and quickly wrote it down before he forgot it. _Hmm, that would sound amazing as a harmony with a soprano solo._ Unfortunately, none of the boys could sing that high, so the use of the riff would have to wait.  
After warming up for almost fifteen minutes, Alex finally showed up, his drum set in tow. “Thanks for the help guys.” His pale cheeks were tinted pink, and Luke wondered what Alex had been up to before arriving late.  
Luke laughed, deciding to save the questions for later. They had a performance to focus on. “If you were on time, maybe we would’ve helped.”  
Alex gently put down the bag, brushing the blond hair off his face with the sleeve of his pink hoodie. “Sorry about that.” He smiled to himself, and the light blush rushed back up his cheeks. “I was late for a good reason.” Reggie raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask more questions. Yet. Alex sighed, knowing that he would get pressed to pieces when they got back.  
They continued their soundcheck, which quickly turned into a rock session. A small crowd began to form, watching the guys enjoy themselves. He saw Reggie wink in the direction of a girl with purple eyeshadow, who smiled back at him.  
Time disappeared into the void, and it was finally time for their actual show. “You guys ready for this?” Luke asked, a huge smile on his face. This is where he wanted to be, ready for a performance with his best friends. _Though the crowd energy could be higher,_ he thought to himself.  
“Ready as ever!” Alex called, hopping off his seat and walking over to where Luke and Reggie were setting up the mics. “Band huddle?”  
They stood in a circle, their heads together and arms around each other’s shoulders. “This is our first gig of the year,” Luke started. “We don’t have Bobby, so things are going to be a little different, but we got this.”  
The guys nodded in agreement, their faces determined. “We got this.”  
Alex put his hand in the middle, and the others followed suit. “Let’s do this. Sunset Curve on me, one, two, three,”  
“Sunset Curve!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed? Sorry for the somewhat filler chapter, I wasn't sure what else to do lmao but hope you enjoyed! Find me on tumblr @emiikas


	3. Just breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunset Curve has a successful opening show, and Julie fights her own mind.

“How are we tonight?” Luke asked the crowd, his voice echoing throughout the speakers. He got a chorus of mild mumbles as a response. _Yup, the crowd energy could definitely be higher._ He scanned the crowd, and his eyes lit up when he spotted the girl from the cafe sitting on one of the wooden benches that had been put out. Their eyes met and Luke smiled at her, and she smiled back. The girl who had come to join Julie was with her as well. _Flynn._  
“Tired tonight, I see. Get ready to be rocked!” He heard Julie and Flynn give a little cheer from the back. He smiled at them, causing Julie to blush. He saw Flynn elbow her friend. “Ready?” He asked the guys. They nodded, and Alex put his sticks together, counting off.  
“A one two three four!”  
Luke smirked and raced back to the microphone. _“Take off, last stop, countdown until we blast open the top, face first, full charge, electric hammer to the heart.”_  
Reggie and Alex joined him, their voices blending almost seamlessly. _“Clocks more forward, but we don’t get older, no.”_ A crowd began to form, lifting their spirits.  
_“Kept on climbing, till our stars collided, and all those times we fell behind were just the keys to paradise”_ Luke’s eyes darted back to Julie, who hadn’t moved since the beginning. There was tension in her shoulders, as if she were experiencing something that almost pained her. When she was him looking at her, she gave him a small smile, as if to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault.  
He didn’t have time to dwell, and he couldn’t lose his focus. Staff members had started to join the growing crowd of people. _“Don’t look down, ‘cause were still rising up right now, and even if we hit the ground, we’ll still fly, keep dreaming like we’ll live forever, but live it like it’s now or never”_  
The crowd energy was finally where they wanted it to be, with students and staff alike all bopping to their music, but Luke’s mind still wandered back to Julie. Neither her or Flynn had gotten up for their bench, and Julie’s body seemed tense, as if she was experiencing something painful. 

...

_It’s okay Jules._ With every note that played, every lyric sung, the more Julie wanted to curl up into a ball and plug her ears. Every lyric brought back a memory of her mother, overpowering everything until the music was barely a murmur in the back of her mind. Memories of her sitting on the piano bench with her mother’s hands guiding hers. Memories of her mother teaching her how to tune her voice, how to control her power. She remembered the beautiful smile that was almost always plastered on her mom’s face whenever they made music together. She couldn’t listen to music without the memories coming back to haunt her, let alone play. Making music only made everything worse, the memories sharp as a knife. Having to live through them again while knowing she could never make another hurt more than a cut ever could.  
She could feel the panic and grief surrounding her, as if she had been pushed underwater. She pulled her legs up and hugged her knees, and she felt Flynn’s arm around her shoulders. Flynn was the only thing keeping her from drowning in the memories. The only thing keeping her tethered to this world. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the grief to go away. She felt Flynn’s arms tighten around her shoulders, and the wash of fear subsided, just a little bit. _Breathe._ She forced herself to take a deep breath. She willed the memories away. _Just breathe._  
With every deep breath, the memories melted away, one by one. She opened her eyes, and she felt sane again. She clenched her jaw, her determination hardening. _You’ll get through this._  
“You doing better?” Flynn asked, her eyes filled with worry.  
“Yeah, I’m okay now.” Julie let out a shaky breath. She looked up at Flynn, her expression determined. “I’m alright.”  
Flynn’s arm tightened into a protective squeeze. “As long as you’re sure.”  
Julie looked up to see Luke’s worried gaze. She gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile, and he gave a small smile back.  
As the show continued on, Julie felt herself gaining a bit of confidence. Confidence in her ability to listen to nice sounds without drowning in an ocean of memories. Confidence in herself.  
She focused on the line of bushes behind the band’s setup, trying to keep the blast of the music to a minimum. Her focus was shattered when she heard Flynn choke on her water.  
“Are _you_ okay??” Julie asked as Flynn continued to have a coughing fit.  
“Yeah-” She coughed again, her sleeve covering her mouth. “Water- water went down the wrong way-” She took a deep breath, her eyes watery. “Yeah. I’m fine.” Her eyes darted over to a girl with dark brown hair and sunkissed skin. She leaned in and whispered-screamed “Kayla is here!!”  
Julie looked back at her friend, confused. “Kayla?”  
“Shhh!!” She looked back at the girl in the crowd. “The girl from my design class!” She spoke in a hushed voice, as if there were any way she could be heard over the music. Julie’s eyes widened.  
“You should go say hi!” Julie urged her best friend.  
Flynn looked back at Kayla, but shook her head. “I need to be here for you.”  
Julie’s heart panged in her chest. She didn’t want to keep her friend from meeting new people. “I’ll be alright, it’s only a few minutes. Please go say hi? For me. I’ll survive a few minutes on my own.” _If I keep you from meeting someone I’ll never forgive myself._ Julie gave Flynn her best puppy eyes.  
Flynn sighed, but gave in. “Fine, but only for a few minutes.” She put her tray down on her seat and basically skipped over to find Kayla. Julie watched Flynn tap the other girl’s shoulder, and she saw the sparkle in her friend’s eyes. There was no way she could keep Flynn from being happy. _I don’t want her to miss out on anything because of me._ Julie sighed, and she decided to keep the self-loathing for another day.  
All of a sudden, the crowd cheered. “Thank you everyone for coming out tonight! We hope you had a good time. We’re Sunset Curve!” The bandmate in the leather jacket called. The crowd cheered again.  
“Tell your friends!” The three shouted, their voices harmonizing. It reminded Julie of the way she and her mom would randomly break out into song, her mom taking the high notes and Julie with the low ones. She blinked away tears and clapped with the crowd.  
She watched in almost horror as Luke packed up his guitar and hopped off the stage and started walking in her direction. Her eyes widened as his eyes focused on hers, his expression determined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :eyes: hope you guys enjoy this chapter!! let me know what you guys think is going to happen next in the comments! find me on tumblr @emiikas.   
> as always, kudos and comments are always appreciated, and thank you so much for reading! ily all <3


	4. I, I uh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a mini bonus chapter!! a little juke interaction after the show

“Hey Julie!” Luke called as he neared her seat. Julie started to panic, and Flynn was too far away talking to Kayla to save her.   
“H-Hey Luke.” She greeted him. She stared at Flynn’s back, trying to get her attention.   
“Mind if I sit?” He gestured to the empty seat beside her, though he didn’t look like he wanted to sit down. He was practically vibrating on his feet.  
“Go ahead,” She replied as Luke took a seat. They sat in an awkward silence, with Julie looking everywhere but at Luke. “That was a great show.” She said, not sure what else to say.  
His face lit up when he smiled. “Thanks! Let’s hope the rest of the school thought so too.” His expression turned more serious. “Are you alright? You seemed a little tense.”   
Julie opened her mouth, but wasn’t sure what to say. He noticed. “I- I uh,” _My mom passed and now I can’t play or listen to music without drowning in memories._ The words were relatively simple. They were right there, but she couldn’t find the strength to say them outloud. She hadn't said those words to anyone at all. Flynn had been the one to explain her struggling grades to her professors. Flynn had been the one to help her through everything.   
His green eyes were sincere. “It’s alright if you don’t want to say.”  
Julie sighed. “It’s not you, and I’d like to explain, but I think I just need some-” She felt her eyes welling up with tears. She blinked them away. “-Some time.”  
Luke nodded, though eyes were worried. “I understand.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I uh, well what I came over to ask was, uh, I was wondering if you’d like, uh,” Julie raised her eyebrow. “Iwaswonderingifyouwanttohangoutsometime.” He blushed scarlet, an anxious smile on his face.   
“Oh!” Julie wasn’t sure what else to say. He wanted to hang out with _her?_  
She realized his expression was getting more and more worried. “You could meet the guys, too. They’re really cool, and I think you’ll like them. We could-”   
She cleared her throat and smiled. “I’d love to.” And she meant it.


	5. A bunch of dorks in love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex is surprised by a fan, so much to the point where Luke has to take over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the shorter chapter today, but i’m not quite feeling it, yk? probably the geometry. anyways happy thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates! oh and also i’m considering posting snippets on my instagram, so follow me there @emiikaschen <3

“Luke!” The blond boy called. “Stop slacking! We have ten minutes to clean up!”  
Luke sighed, but the smile never left his face. “Duty calls.”  
Julie nodded and smiled back. “I’ll text you then?”  
Luke blushed as he remembered that he put his phone number on his cup. “Yeah.” She watched him go, the echo of a smile still plastered on her face.  
As soon as he was out of earshot, someone beside her squealed. Julie jumped in surprise as Flynn tackled her with a hug. “You got yourself a date! I’m so happy for you.”  
Julie laughed, and she couldn’t help but feel butterflies in her stomach at the word ‘date’. “It’s not a date. We’re just… going to hang out.”  
“Which is a date!” Flynn urged. “You two are cute together.”  
Julie looked back at Luke. He was lifting their speakers, and she couldn’t help but stare a little bit. “Thanks.” She snapped out of her daze. “How did talking to Kayla go?”  
Flynn’s smile widened, her eyes shining. “She’s amazing. I mean, it went amazing.”  
Julie laughed and hugged Flynn. “I’m so glad. Kayla's lucky to have you.”  
“Let’s just hope she feels the same way.” She turned back to look at the girl, who was now sitting with a blonde girl with bright pink streaks. Flynn’s eyes narrowed.   
“What’s wrong?” Julie asked.  
“Carrie.” Julie followed Flynn’s gaze.  
“Jealous hm?” Julie teased.   
Flynn sighed and pried her eyes away. “Don’t even get me started.”  
Julie grabbed her friend’s hand. “Come on, let’s get back to the dorms before it gets too cold.” At the mention of the temperature, they both shivered. Neither of them had brought a jacket.   
“Race you back!” Flynn called, already taking off.  
“No fair!” Julie grabbed her things and raced after her.

…

Alex watched as the girls Luke had been watching bolted out of the courtyard. “Some girl you got there,” He told Luke, who was watching the curly haired girl with a dumbstruck expression.   
He blushed and looked away. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”   
“Hey!” A new voice called. Alex felt his entire body tense up. He took a deep breath and turned around. A boy with long dark hair wearing a simple creamy hoodie approached their setup. He brushed a perfect strand of hair out of his face, and Alex stood staring. He felt his heart racing, and he knew he looked like an idiot. _Willie_.“You guys were great!” He tried to say thanks but he felt rooted to the spot.  
“Thank you!” Luke said, smiling at the boy. He held out a hand and Willie took it. “I’m Luke.”   
“Willie.” Luke raised his eyebrows, remembering Alex’s text from earlier.  
Luke elbowed Alex, but Alex was still frozen. Luke rolled his eyes. “This is my friend Alex.”  
Willie nodded. “We met earlier today!” He smiled at Alex, and he was almost sure he had died. He snapped back to reality.  
“Uh, yeah.” He cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure what else to say. “Nice to see you again.” Luke noticed Alex’s dopey expression and waved Willie over.  
“Are you into music too?”  
Willie shook his head. “Yeah. But it’s been a while since my marching band days.”  
“What did you play?” Luke asked, a twinkle in his eyes.   
“I played clarinet for concerts, and I was on the color guard during the marching season.” He twirled an imaginary flag. “Band and dance have been my favorite things for a while now, though I decided to keep going with dance this year.” He sighed. “I’ll miss the chaoticness of marching though.”  
Luke nodded. “I was never in my school’s band but it seems like a ton of fun. Reg and Alex have the funniest stories.”  
Willie smiled at Alex and he felt his heart stop beating. “You were in band too? What did you play?”   
_Respond, Alex!_ “Yeah, I- I was on drumline. Snare, specifically.”   
Willie nodded, his eyes sparkling. “Fun! No wonder you’re such a great drummer.” Alex didn’t think his face could get any redder.  
Willie gestured to the remaining equipment. “Would you guys like a hand?”  
Luke smiled. “That would be great.”  
Alex hurried off to clean up. _Oh my god oh my god Willie is here and he’s talking to us and he likes our music and he said I was a good drummer what do I do oh my god-_  
“So Willie... “ Luke asked, breaking Alex’s train of thought. His eyes widened. _Luke don’t do it-That was too much wasn’t it._  
To his surprise, Willie laughed. “I read somewhere that skateboarding helps clear your head. Even better if there’s another person there helping you.”   
Alex raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard of that before, actually. But that sounds really great. Your head must be super clear.”   
He shot a half smile at Alex. “Would you want to test that theory sometime?”  
Alex opened his mouth, but he wasn’t sure how to respond. _Does he actually want to test that theory or does he want-_ He pushed the thought aside. There was no way someone as cool as Willie would want to go on a date with Alex. But he couldn’t help but hope, at least a little bit. “How does tomorrow morning sound?” _I’m pushing my luck, aren’t I._  
Willie’s entire face lit up when he smiled. “It’s a date.”


	6. a night in, a night out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little in-between fluff from all parties :D

Alex turned away Willie, hoping to hide his blush, but he knew he hadn’t succeeded. After what felt like forever, they finally finished putting away their equipment. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he almost jumped out of his skin.  
“I gotta head out,” He turned around to see Willie’s face, barely inches away from his own. “But I’ll see you tomorrow?”  
Alex felt his heart drop. _He wasn’t joking. He wasn’t joking! He actually wants to hang out tomorrow- why is his face so close to mine his eyes are so pretty-_ “Y-yeah. Do you want my phone number? So we can settle on a time and all that.” He rushed the last bit, just in case he was reading the situation wrong.   
“Yeah! Here, let me enter mine into yours…” Alex numbly offered up his phone and the other boy quickly punched a number into the call section. He pressed the call button and his own phone started ringing. “Perfect.” He handed Alex back his phone and pocketed his own. He grabbed his skateboard and popped on his helmet.  
“See you tomorrow!” Willie called before skating out of the courtyard.  
“See you!” Alex called back, a smile plastered on his very flushed face. As soon as Willie was out of sight, his two bandmates tackled him from behind.  
“You got a date!” Luke cried, a huge smile on his face.   
Reggie lightly punched him in the shoulder, a huge grin matching Alex’s. “I’m so happy for you! Who knows, maybe he’ll be a backup dancer for us or something.”   
Alex blushed at the thought of Willie dancing to their music. “Yeah. Maybe.”   
“Damn, everyone’s getting dates.” Reggie sighed. “It’s only a matter of time until I find my own, right?”  
Luke clapped Reggie on the back in an attempt to reassure his friend. “Of course. But tonight is just for us.” He smiled a mischievous smile. “I got a bonus today from work. We’re celebrating out tonight!”  
Alex smiled, but worry still clouded his eyes. “That’s great Luke! But you should save it for yourself. Tuition doesn’t pay itself.”  
Luke’s bright mood dulled a little at the mention of tuition, but he immediately brightened back up. “It’s okay. If we get a manager, we’ll be making plenty in no time. Besides! What’s life without a little risk, am I right?”   
Alex sighed. There was no way he could change Luke’s mind now. “Yeah.”  
Luke smiled even brighter than Alex knew was possible. “Yeah! Now let’s go celebrate!”

…

When Julie finally caught up to Flynn, the sun had almost set and the night air had gone chilly. They both collapsed onto Flynn’s lower bunk, completely out of breath. When she finally had enough oxygen to speak, Julie poked her best friend in the side. “Not fair. You got a head start.”  
Flynn turned her head so she faced Julie, a smirk on her face. “You just have to be ready next time.”   
“Mhm.” Julie rolled her eyes, but she felt better than she had in weeks, maybe even months. She had a mostly successful evening out, and she had something to look forward to tomorrow. Her eyes trailed back to her half-full coffee cup from earlier that day.  
“Staring at the number isn’t going to help you know,” Flynn remarked, her gaze following Julie’s. “You’ll have to text him eventually.”  
Julie sighed. “I know, but I’m not sure what to say yet.” She continued to stare at the cup, though her mind was elsewhere. _How am I going to explain everything to him? How do I tell him that his livelihood is the source of my pain?_ Flynn seemed to catch where Julie’s train of thought was headed.   
“Hey,” She started, and Julie tore her eyes away from the string of numbers to look up at Flynn. “It’s okay if you don’t want to say yet. You’ve only known him for what, a few hours? You don’t owe him your villain origin story, at least not yet. Don’t worry about that until you know you like him enough to trust him with that information.”  
Julie took a deep breath and nodded her head. “You’re right. But I want him to know it’s not his fault. He looked so, I don’t even know. Distressed? Disappointed? Hurt? Whatever it is, I want him to know he hasn’t done anything wrong.”  
“Yet.”   
Julie laughed and rolled her eyes again. “Yet.” She turned her eyes back to the cup. She took a deep breath and punched the number into her phone. She typed out a quick message, deleted the message, wrote a new one, deleted that one too, then finally decided on a simple “Hi, this is Julie”. Flynn looked over Julie’s shoulder and smiled to herself.  
“Can’t decide what to say?”  
Julie sighed. “I don’t know what to say. ‘Hi this is the only person who wasn’t having fun at your performance today!’ or ‘hi! Thanks for the drink today.’”   
Flynn laughed. “Whatever you decide on, I’m sure it’ll turn out alright.”  
Julie nodded, though more for herself than Flynn. She hit the send button and quickly shut her phone off and threw it onto her top bunk. Flynn gave her a questioning look.   
“If I keep the phone with me, I’ll check it every other second.” Flynn grabbed her laptop and pulled up the show they had started watching the night before. She leaned her head on Julie’s shoulder before pressing play.  
“Tomorrow, you’ll be on your date, but today, it’s just you and me.”

… 

Luke let himself get lost in the music, letting it distract him from all of his problems. Life was looking up for him. He had a date tomorrow- well, almost a date, and their first performance had been a major success. Soon, he would be able to prove his worth to his parents, to show them that music was worth pursuing. His phone buzzed, breaking his train of thought. He almost leaped out of his seat in excitement as he saw it was from an unfamiliar number.  
_Hi, this is Julie_  
Luke quickly typed a response back, a huge grin on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! if there are any typos pls lmk i wrote this all in one sitting with only minor proofreading so uh yeah  
> what do you guys think is gonna happen next?  
> as always, comments & kudos are always appreciated!!!


	7. Tonight's for us

Not even a minute after her phone made contact with her bunk, she heard it vibrate. She moved to grab it, but decided she was too comfortable smothered between Flynn, pillows, and blankets. Luke can wait a few minutes.  
A few minutes passed, and a few more, and a few more. Then, they had finished three \full hour episodes of their new show before Julie remembered she needed to respond to Luke. She tried to wiggle her way out of the blankets, but Flynn had fallen asleep on her shoulder and Julie didn’t want to wake her. She sighed, and as gently as possible moved Flynn’s head onto her own pillow. Flynn mumbled something incoherent but didn’t wake up, to Julie’s relief. That girl does not sleep enough. She placed a blanket over her friend before heading to the bathroom to wash up. She returned to their room, having changed into her mom’s old oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. She inhaled the fading scent of her mother’s shampoo, comforted by the smell. She turned the lights off and quietly climbed into bed.  
She picked up her phone, which read “2:12 AM”. She inwardly groaned. She tried to go to bed before 1:30 everyday in order to keep some semblance of a sleep schedule, and she had just started to succeed. Oh well. Might as well stay up a little later since we’re already here. She picked up her phone and saw Luke’s text. Oh shit, I never responded! What if he thinks I'm ghosting him? Oh shit oh shit oh shit. Julie took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. “It’s fine. This is fine. Very fine. You’ll be fine.”  
“Hmm?” Flynn asked, her voice heavy with sleep. “Who ya talkin to?”  
Julie froze. “Shh, it’s fine. Go back to sleep.”  
“‘f you insist’.” Within moments, Julie heard Flynn’s breathing steady out.  
Julie opened the unread message from Luke.  
(coffee shop guy luke)8:49 hey! hope you’re feeling better.  
(coffee shop guy luke)9:00 i know you said it wasn’t my fault, but i hope you know  
i’ll always be happy to listen if you need to rant or anything  
(coffee shop guy luke)9:28 sorry, last text I promise. you’re probably up to  
something but what time are you planning on swinging by  
the garage tomorrow? my shift is from 1 to 4  
Julie felt bad for putting off responding for so long, but it was nice to see that he was just as nervous as she was.  
(you) 2:13 Sorry I wasn’t responding  
Hanging out with Flynn  
(you) 2:14 But I’ll come for lunch tomorrow if that’s  
good with you

Julie knew he would probably be asleep, but she couldn’t help but hope he would respond. But after a few minutes, her weariness started to kick in. She yawned, and turned her phone off. He’ll still be there tomorrow. Just go to sleep already. She did as her brain asked. 

…  
Luke started at his phone, willing it to light up. When the screen refused to do as he wished, he sighed. Reggie shook his shoulder, breaking his trance.  
“You good? You seem a little out of it.” He asked, his eyes clouded with worry.  
“Yeah. I’m fine.” Luke looked back at the little device on the table. “Just hoping Julie will respond to my texts.”  
Reggie smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure she will, just give her some time.” He pocketed Luke’s phone. “Tomorrow, you can be a lovesick puppy. But tonight, tonight is  
for us.”  
Luke couldn’t help but smile at his friend’s words. “Alright, but don’t lose my phone please. I can’t afford to replace it a second time.”  
“A second time??”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eep sorry its been so long/sorry this chapter is so short! i lowkey forgot this existed and schools a bitch but anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter! mayhaps leave a comment/kudos?  
> find me on tumblr! @deathdancer

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! if you enjoyed, consider leaving a kudos or comment :D  
> lmk if you guys wanna see more! hopefully i’ll have an update within the next week, but no promises. let me know what you think!!! find me on tumblr @emiikas


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